Jim

Watson is set to square off against his late

wife's family Jan. 25 in the next round of the

wrongful death suit filed against him.

Among

the issues to be discussed are a motion to have

the attorneys for Fred Callaway, Beverley

Watson's father, and his family taken off the

case, as well an attempt to stop an action Jim

Watson filed in Probate Court concerning his

assets.

Callaway,

along with Beverley's three siblings and on

behalf of her two children, filed suit in the

fall charging that Jim Watson caused his wife's

wrongful death and then lied repeatedly to cover

it up, according to court records.

After

the suit was filed, Judge Paschal English issued

an order prohibiting Jim Watson from divesting

any of the couple's marital assets, including the

contents of their home and a business they

jointly owned.

According

to Melvin Hewitt, Callaway's attorney, Jim Watson

had an attorney file in Probate Court for a

year's support, effectively circumventing

English's ruling.

Hewitt

said he has filed an action in Probate Court to

stop that, and another motion in Superior Court

charging that Watson is in contempt and has

evaded answers required of him during the

discovery process.

motion also has been filed to have Hewitt removed

from the case, claiming that the Watsons' two

children, who are also named as plaintiffs in the

suit, should have "neutral"

representation, an idea that Hewitt calls

"ludicrous."

The

Watsons' daughter has filed an affidavit saying

that she wants no part of the suit against her

father.

"We're

really representing the children," said

Hewitt. "We're just trying to stay on the

case, proceed with the wrongful death claim, and

get control of the assets."

Beverley

Watson was last seen alive Jan. 17, 1997. A

portion of her remains were found by a surveyor

last year.

The

Fulton County Police Department has investigated

the case, which is now in the hands of that

county's district attorney, whose office is still

reviewing it. Beverley Watson's remains were

returned to her husband last summer, and he had

her cremated.

The

Fulton County District Attorney has not charged

anyone with a crime in connection with her death.

Fayette County law enforcement authorities are

not involved in the case, and Jim Watson has

never been named as a suspect.

The

suit alleges that there were numerous incidents

of physical and mental abuse inflicted upon

Beverley Watson by her husband during their

marriage, and that Jim Watson was involved in

"incidents of infidelity."

According

to the suit, Jim Watson was "extremely

possessive" and "demonstrated extreme

and unreasonable jealousy" toward his wife,

who had filed for divorce and sought court

protection against him before her disappearance

because she feared for her safety.

On

the night she was last seen, a Friday, Beverley

Watson allegedly left her home in Fayetteville

and went to the home of a friend, Debbie White,

according to the suit. She then went back home

and got into an argument with her husband, the

suit claims.

White

and numerous family members tried to reach her by

telephone throughout the weekend, the suit

alleges, but Jim Watson lied about her

whereabouts, saying one time that she was asleep

in the house.

When

White called back Monday, Jan. 20, she told Jim

Watson that she was going to the police. Later

that day he went to the Fayette County Sheriff's

Department and reported his wife missing,

according to the suit.

Beverley

Watson's family charges that Jim Watson called

her employer, WhiteWater Country Club, the

morning of Jan. 20 to say that she was out of

town for a few days, although her car and many

personal items such as her purse were still at

her home.

Jim

Watson also claimed that his wife left the house

the night of Jan. 17 and never came back,

although he claimed she was home sleeping when

her family and friends called over the weekend,

the suit alleges.

The

family is asking for more than $1 million in

damages based on the value of Beverley Watson's

remaining years with her children as well as pain

and suffering. Jim Watson has caused her

"excruciating pain, terror and emotional

horror" through his actions, the suit

charges.

<!--

-----------